Hold On, Spring is Coming!

Last night we did something we haven’t done in MONTHS… we played/worked outside until 7:00 pm IN THE DAYLIGHT!!!!  All three of us love to be outside, and getting to enjoy the longer hours of daylight was such a breath of fresh air- both physically and mentally.  Winter is hard for me.  I really do struggle with the large amounts of darkness, being cooped up in the house, and feeling cold all the time.  I often find it messing with my mood and bringing on some wintertime “blues.” I find myself feeling like the dark and cold is never going to be over.   But last night, the extra daylight was such an encouragement, “hold on- spring is coming!” 

As (a) played and (A) and I worked in the yard I was very excited to find that I have spring flowers popping up ALL over the yard.  This being our first spring season in this home, I know I am going to be surprised to discover what and where things start blooming.  The former owners planted all kinds of foliage all over the property, and during the late summer and fall I enjoyed many flower surprises because I wasn’t yet familiar with what all had been planted.  This spring will be no different.  These buds were another precious reminder, “hold on- spring is coming!”

I shared with you last week that I often still find myself struggling to balance the heartache of missing so many things we left behind, and embracing all the new things in our life now.  As I have focused these last few months on JOY, last night’s flower buds were also a precious reminder to “hold on- spring is coming” in my heart too.  The hard, cold, dark winter is a season in our year… but it is only a season, it doesn’t last forever.  And when it is over, spring comes with all its beauty and fresh life.  It was a precious reminder to my heart that though there are going to be hard, dark, cold seasons in life- they are only that- a season, they don’t last forever.  What is coming is fresh, and new, and full of joy and hope and promise.  Hold on heart, spring is coming!!

As I collected sticks and the dried up remnants of ornamental grass, (A) began a small, low fire to burn off an area of dead leaves so fresh growth could come through that section of the yard.  I added my things to his fire and began to discover that underneath this large patch of dead leaves he was burning, there were several areas where more of my beloved flowers were poking through to the surface.  At first I started to protest, because I’m so excited about these plants (which I THINK are going to be daffodils) but as I watched I was amazed.  The fire came right up to the fresh, green plant.  It went around it, it went over top of it… but then it moved on.  It did NOT consume it.  All around the old dead leaves burned up and left ash, but the new fresh plant was only slightly singed, it was still going to be ok.  As I watched this happen, I couldn’t help but think about my life, and the lives of others I know.

Sometimes we find ourselves standing in the midst of fire.  We look around and see all the things we were surrounded by turned to nothing but ash… but WE do not have to be consumed.  If our hearts will hold on to the new, lush green that God can give us… we may be slightly singed, but we will still be standing, maybe even thriving, even when everything else around us is gone. 

If you are in a place where things around you seem dark, and cold, and hard- be encouraged to “hold on- in Jesus, spring is coming!”  And while you’re at it, enjoy that extra hour of evening daylight.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19